Shoe leveling and shaping machine



April 16, 1929. G LAGANAS Hl:,`709,728

SHOE LEVELING AND SHAPING MACHINE l Filed June 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l30 J6 12b Z 7% N A ,9 `1 INVENTOR. 25 E.- Gear ea alzas 21 /s -22 y fg 3205 -s--Zp A TTORNE Y.

April 16, 1929. G, LAGANAS 1,709,728

SHOE'LEVELING AND SHAPING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V E N TOR.

BY o Gea/yeqg/as/ Minnie/vn.

Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

GEORGE LAGAN'AS, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE LEVELING AND SHAPING MACHINE.

Application tiled June 5, 1928. Serial No. 282,941.

This invention relates to a shoe leveling and shaping machine for shoesoles and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth a machine of such class for expeditiously shaping and leveling ashoe sole by the application of pressure after the sole has beenattached to the upper thereby resulting in the required bend and curveof the sole to the last.

Under the present system in shoe factories, the leveling' isaccomplished by a direct pressure machine, upon one shoe yat a time andas fast as the operator can feed the machine. As the shoe sole is dampand the shoe remains in the machine only a second and is withdrawn stilldamp, it results that in drying, the sole loses slightly the shape intowhich it was placed by the machine. This objection is overcome by amachine in accordance with this invention, bc-

cause when the shoe is removed at the end of the sole leveling o eration'the sole is dry and will retain. the s ape imparted thereto. A furtherobject of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth,

a machine for the purpose set forth whereby the shaping and levehng ofthe sole is carried out on the original making last, under suchconditions providing for increased production and a material decrease inthe cost 0f labor.

A further object of the invention, is to provide a machine of the classreferred to whereby it does not necessitate in its use, to

accomplish a sole shaping and leveling operation the employment ofseparate iron beating out forms or lasts, as is the case at present,more especially the employment of different shapes of forms or lasts for4o different styles and sizes of shoes.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a sole leveling and shoe shaping machine whichcan be employed for all kinds of shoes, such as McKays, Welts, ctc., for

leveling the soles thereof to obtain the required bend and curve on theoriginal making last.

Further objects of the invention are 5o to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a machine for the purpose referred to which issimple in its construction and arran ement, strong, durable, compact,thoroug ly eicient in its use, conveniently operated, readily set up,and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arranfrement of parts ashereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompaing drawings, wherein is shown an emb iment of the invention, but it isto be understood that changes, variations and modifications can beresorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingyparts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a side elevation of ashaping machine in accordance with this invention and illustrating butone of its carriers provided with shaping and leveling means for thesole and with the shoe clamped against said means.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the machine.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation partly in section of theapparatus.

Figure .4 is a detail section 0n line 3-3 Figure 2.

'lhe machine includes a pair of supporting frames 1, 2 of invertedV-shape and each of which at its upper end is provided with a bearing 3.Rotatably mounted in the bearing 3 is a shaft 4 which can be manuallyr0- tated or driven from any suitable means. Spacing collars 11, 12 arefixed to the 'shaft 4 and abut against the inner faces of the bearings3.

The shaft 4 is provided with a bore 13 which extends from one endthereof and terminates at a point removed from its other end whereby oneend of the bore 13 will be closed. The shaft 4 has that end terminalportion 14 which extends from the frame 1 extending into and secured toa cap member 15 provided with a fiange 16 and a socket 17 having athreaded wall with which the terminal portion 14 of the shaft 4threadedly engages. The cap 15 is furthermore provided with a chamber 18of the same diameter as the diameter of the bore 13 and the wall of thelatter registers with the wall of the chamber 18. The cap 15 is formedwith diametrically opposed openings 19, 2() for a purpose to bepresently referred to.

Mounted on the cap 15 and abutting against the flange 16 is the head 21of a coupling member 22 which depends from the cap 15. The head 21 isprovided with a concavity 23 with which communicates the openings 19 and20. That part of the coupling member 22 which `depends from the head 21is termed a stem 24 and is of tubular form. Detachably connected to thestem 24, as Well as communicating therewith, is a fluid pressure feedpipe 25. Preferably air ressure is employed. The head 21 is ormed withan axial opening 26 through which extends the cap 15, and the latterprojects a substantial distance from the outer side of the head 21 andcarries a washer 27 which abuts against the coupling 22. Mounted `on thecap 15 and abutting the washer 27 is a coiled spring 28 which functionsto maintain the flange 16 against the head 21 of the coupling 22. Thespring 28 is maintained in position by a plate 29 and a retaining screw30 which engages in the cap 15. The shaft 4 intermediate its ends and inroximity to the frame 1 is provided wit an opening 31 having a threadedwall and to which is secured a pipe 32 for conducting fluid pressurefrom the shaft 4 to the oint desired.

Flxedly secured to the shaft 4 and arranged in spaced relation is a pairof drum heads 33,33 and each of which is of polygonal contour.

Secured to each drum head is a set of tangentially disposed arms 34arranged one over the other and with the space between each pair of barsgradually increasing in width outwardly. The arms 34 are secured byholdfast devices 35 against the outer'edge of a head 33 or 33. Thel setof arms carried by one head are arranged in opposed relation withrespect to the arms carried by the other head. Each arm of one set ofarms is secured to the opposed arm of the other set of arms by a pair ofspaced, combined bracing and supporting bars 37, and secured upon theouter faces of each pair of combined bracing and supporting bars is aset of spaced, rectangular carriers 38. The carriers 38 are arranged inproximity to the outer ends of the arms 34 so as to be in convenientreach of the operator. Secured to each pair of opposed arms is a fluidpressure supply` pipe 39 and which is provided with valve controlledbranches 40 corresponding in number to the number of carriers of a set,that is to say, if the set of carriers consist of six, the number ofvalve controlled branches 40 will be the same. A two-way controllingvalve for each branch 4() is indicated at 41, and each valve is of aform to establish communication between the said branch and pipe 39, forclosing said branch to pipe 39 and for establishing communicationbetween the said branch and the atmosphere when said brauch is closed topipe 39.

The fluid pressure conducting pipe 32 opens into one of the ipes 39. Thepipes 39 are connected togetlier by branches 39.

As each branch 40 has a cut-off or controlling valve 41, the branches 40can be independently employed for supplying pressure to the pressureapplying members to be presently referred to.

There is to be secured to each carrier 38 a pressure a plying element 42in the form of an in atable and defiatable bag. Each branch 40 extendsthrough a carrier and communicates with the element 42 for supplying andexhausting fluid pressure to and therefrom.

The shoe 43, with its sole 44 and on its original making last 44', isremovably clamped against the member 42. The clamping means for the shoeis indicated at 45, is pivotally connected with a carrier and detachablyengages with the outer bar 37.

It is to be understood that the shoe 44 can be clamped against themember 42 by any suitable means. Each branch 40 of a pipe 39 opens intoa pressure applying element 42, and the latter is capable of beingcontracted and expanded, and when expanded by the supply of fluidpressure thereto the element shapes to the shoe which contains theoriginal making last.

The operator places the shoes on the set of carriers facing him andclamps them to the pressure applying elements of the set. The shaft isthen rotated to position another set of carriers to have `shoes clampedthereon. After the shoes have been placed and clamped against theelements 42 of a set, the branches are opened and fluid pressuresupplied to the elements 42 and which acts, in connection with theoriginal making last to level the shoes so that they will assume thedesired shape. The shoes remain clamped in the machine under fluidpressure until a set has revolved around from and returned to theoperator. The shoes of the set are then, removed and another set ofshoes placedkin position. The shoes of each set remain under pressureuntil removed, at which time they are dry, under such conditions thesoles do not change their shape after being removed from the machine.

The shoe is positioned on a carrier with its original making last. Themachine overcomes the necessity of employing iron beating out forms andlasts as they are a great source of expense to shoe manufac turers,further the necessity of purchasing new forms and lasts for every styleand size of making last, which becomes obsolete when the style of lastgoes out of existence, because the leveling action is obtained by thepressure applying members in connection with the s iaper elements.

In the use of the ap licants machine the sole will dry while underpressure, thereby retaining the shape given thereto, whereas in machinesnow in general use for such purpose the shoe is removed from the machinewhile the sole is still wet and under Such conditions loses its shapewhile drying.

It is thought the many advantages of a shoe sole shaping machine inaccordance with this invention can be readily understood, and althoughthe preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated anddescribed, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction can be had which fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for the purpose set forth comprisin a bodily rotatablestructure including a horizontally disposed shaft, spaced pairs ofoppose arms and a set of carriers connected with each pair of o posedarms, said shaft being provided wit a bore for communication with asource of fluid pressure, a horizontally disposed, fluid pressureconducting pipe secured to each pair of opposed arms, means forestablishing communication between said pipes, a fluid pressure operatedshaping and leveling element on each of the carriers of each set,vindependent, controllable, pressure supply means for each of saidelements, said means communicating with said pipes and leading therefromto said elements, and a fluid pressure conductingl pipe leading fromsaid bore to one of said orizontal pi es.

2. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a bodily rotatablestructure including a horizontally disposed shaft, a series of spacedpairs of opposed arms, a pair ofbars connecting the arms of each pairtogether and a set of spaced carriers secured to each pair of bars, saldshaft being provided with a bore for communication with a source offluid pressure, a horizontally disposed, fluid conducting pipe securedto each pair of opposed arms, pipe branches for cstablishingcommunication between said pipes, a fluid pressureI operated workshaping and leveling element on each of the carriers of each set,independent, controllable, pressure supply means for each of saidelements, said means communicating with said pipes and leading therefromto said elements, and a fluid pressure conducting pipe leading from saidbore to one of said horizontal pipes.

3. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a rotatable,horizontally disposed shaft provided with a bore for communication witha fluid pressure supply, a pair of s aced, vertically disposed headsfixed axial y thereof to and bodily movable with said shaft, two sets ofopposed arms, the arms of each set secured to and projecting from ahead, a tpair of spaced bars connecting each pair o opposed armstogether, a set of spaced carriers secured to each pair of bars, ahorizontally disposed, fluid pressure conducting pipe secured to eachpair of opposed arms inwardly with respect to the pair of bars, pipeconnections for establishing communication between said pipes, a fluidpressure operated work shapmg and leveling element on each ofthecarriers of each set, independent, controllable, pressure supply meansfor each of said elements, said means communicating with said pipes andleading therefrom to said elements, and 'a fluid pressure conductingline leading from said bore to one of said horizontal pipes.

4. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a rotatable,horizontally disposed shaft, said shaft being provided with a bore forcommunication with a fluid pressure supply, a pair of spaced, verticallydisposed, polygonal shaped heads fixed axially thereof to and bodilymovable with said shaft, two sets of opposed arms, the arms of each setsecured to ahead and disposed tangentially with res ect thereto, a pairof spaced, combined bracing and supporting bars connecting each pair ofopposed arms together, a set of opposed carriers secured upon each pairof bars, a fluid pressure operated work shaping and leveling elementon'each of the carriers of each set, independent, controllable, pressuresupply means for each of said elements, and fluid pressure conductingmeans leading from said bore and communicating with said supply means.

5. In a machine for the purpose set forth comprising a rotatable,horizontally disposed shaft, said shaft having a bore for communicationlwith a fluid pressure supply, a pair of spaced, vertically disposedheads fixed axially thereof to and bodily movable with said shaft, twosets of opposed arms, each set being secured to and projecting from ahead, bracing and supporting means connecting each pair of opposed armstogether, a set of opposed carriers secured upon the bracing meansbetween each pair of opposed arms, a fluid pressure operated workshaping and leveling element on each of the carriers of each set, aninde endent, controllable, pressure supply pipe or each of saidelements, and fluid pressure conducting means communicating with saidpipes, said fluid pressure conducting means communicating with said boreand connected to said shaft and arms.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

GEORGE LAGANAS.

